Shotgun Forum banner

favorite squirrel caliber/load

43K views 79 replies 49 participants last post by  204_ruger 
#1 ·
What is your favorite squirrel caliber/load combination or combinations ? Mine would be 17 mach 2/eley 17 gr - 17hmr/ horandy 17 gr - 22cal / winchester 40 gr power points. Just currious what the favorites out there are.
 
#53 ·
Runt said:
My Henry Golden Boy with 22 short's or a full choke 12 gauge with a heavy load of #4's.

Sent from my MB886 using Ohub Campfire mobile app
I have been fooling with shorts in a lever gun as my Marlin shoots CCI HP shorts well. I have become a believer. Inside of 30 or 40 yards, they put a hurt even on big fox and Abert's squirrels and they are not all that loud. I like them as well as the Aguila SSHP LPs.

Don't you find that 4s do too much damage? I hit one from to close and had furry squirrel-burger with 4s.
 
#54 ·
brewer12345 said:
Don't you find that 4s do too much damage? I hit one from to close and had furry squirrel-burger with 4s.
Yes, up close they do. But out beyond 30 yards, pellet count, not pellet size, chews up the ham. A squirrel hit with a heavy load of #6 shot should be more damaged than one hit by same load of #4s. Same with dove, rabbit, ect.
 
#55 ·
brewer12345 said:
Runt said:
My Henry Golden Boy with 22 short's or a full choke 12 gauge with a heavy load of #4's.

Sent from my MB886 using Ohub Campfire mobile app
Don't you find that 4s do too much damage? I hit one from to close and had furry squirrel-burger with 4s.
Up close, I try to make head shot's.

One of the WMA's I hunt, the treetop's are 40 yard's or more from the trunk (ranged with range finder). Them little rat's be up there and need to reach them with through the leave's. I did have an extra full that worked wonder's. Once the leave's fall I shoot my 22 or whack a few with my bow from the deer stand.

Sent from my MB886 using Ohub Campfire mobile app
 
#56 ·
4 shot actually does LESS damage on small game because of less pellets per ounce. The patterns are thinner than they are with smaller shot, so you get less strikes per square inch. Something I like about the bigger shot, they penetrate all the way through and don't leave pellets in the meat. Some time I want to try 1-1/8 of 5's on the squirrels and rabbits, I've been told they penetrate completely as well as the 4's will, with a denser pattern. Out at 45-50 yards, 1-1/8 of 4's has some pretty big patches in the pattern even with an extra full choke. I don't want to shoot 1-1/4 loads in my lightweight double, could split the stock head from the recoil. So far this season the Winchester loads with 1-1/8 of 4's has performed MUCH better on squirrels than the Federal Game Shoks with 1 ounce of 6's.
 
#57 ·
Filnez, I agree that the #4's do less damage, they carry a little extra punch for the way up shot's.

The Winchester #5's do pretty good also. I'm going to try the Winchester pheasant load 1⅜ ounce of #4's after duck season goes out. My favorite load is Remington Express Extended Range #4's, I used to shoot 2¾ Nitro Mag's. They worked wonder's.

The only time I had luck with #6's is on low close one's. They just don't carry the extra punch to get up there in tree top's.

Sent from my MB886 using Ohub Campfire mobile app
 
#59 ·
I'm still using my .22 lr. CZ L.H. bolt gun. I like it when the leaves are off the trees & it is a squirrels only hunt. Hard to hit flying game with a .22 if they are on the menu. I find low velocity .22 lr. ammo. to be very accurate in my CZ & they shoot plenty flat at ranges I shoot bushy tails. The low noise is also a big plus & they don't blow squirrel all over the woods. I use 7/8 oz. no. 6's in my 20 ga. when I use a shotgun. 6's will put more pellets than desired in a squirrel at close range but 4's lack pattern density with 7/8 oz. 20 ga. loads at greater distances. 5's in heavier loads may be justified at longer ranges like in tall timber or for bigger fox squirrels. I usually aim so that I catch a squirrel near the head with the edge of my pattern when I get a real close shot. A direct hit at 20 feet means squirrel burger.
 
#60 ·
Haven't shot squirrel in a long time,but when i did i used both shotgun and rifle.Shot gun was 12g s/s choked 1/2 & full using No7 shot,rifle was winchester.22 lr semi auto with scope & silencer or as their called now sound moderators using cci subsonic hollow point,and didn't have any problems.I always say small game equals small shot,at least then you'll have something to eat.
 
#61 ·
There are advantages and disadvantages for each type of firearm to consider when choosing shotgun versus rifle for a hunt. Many factors come into play. Time of year, location, terrain, game available, housing proximity, noise, reach, local regulations, even how you feel. If I am able to walk more and go into thicker cover where I'm likely to flush out a variety of animals, I would prefer a shotgun, but very often I'm physically unable to go far and will be hunting only squirrels, in which case I'd rather pick a comfortable spot to sit with my .22 rifle and a good pair of binoculars. Even selection of your hunting clothing will depend on several factors, you might need briarproofs and orange in one place but thin cool camouflage in the next. You just have to make an estimate to what you think will work best in any particular situation and go with it. Sometimes I've been wrong in my picks for the day and wished that I had brought a different gun or worn different gear. I've tried a lot of different gear and hunting types over the years and the only thing I regret is not having the money to try more.
 
#64 ·
Hi new here. I use a 410 95% of the time . I live in the middle of the ozarks. I hunt the sylamore national forest alot. I used a Steven single shot and mossberg bolt action 410. I order a new camo mossberg 500 410 Turkey gun. 26 inch screw in choke . It comes with a TSS xx full turkey choke. I bought it just for squirrel hunting. Have too buy a full and modified chokes for it. When the hulls get back in stock I will reload for it. I am going to use the magnum chilled shot in 5 or 6's. I always use 3 inch on squirrels. Plus I can load them the way I want them. I hunt where tress's r tall. I use a squirrel calls slot. I have some custom and factory calls . Do they work all the time no they dont. Alot of times squirrel will get made run down looking for other squirrel and get it.
 
#68 ·
As a kid, I always squirrel hunted with a single shot 20 gauge, with #6 shot. My uncle insisted that all hunters should start out with single shots until they learned the cost of ammunition. It made us kids be more carefu lwith our shots. After hitting the ripe old age of 16, we could switch to either a pump shotgun, or a bolt action .22 cal. rifle. Always used the bulk pack .22 ammo. Never had any trouble using it. But, we were taught to sneak, or stalk those tree rats and not to take shots more than 30 yards. We never wasted ammo, but sure had lots of fun.
 
#69 ·
Now that our season has finally opened, I'll be using a CZ 452 with 16" barrel and suppressor. Lapua Center X subsonic ammo is extremely accurate and quiet with the suppressor. A missed shot often doesn't spook the squirrel or other squirrels in the same tree or area. A Rem 581 from the early '70s that wore a Weaver V22 3-6x 7/8" scope for years is amazing accurate with Lapua or Eley ammo and a modern scope.
Treat your favorite old 22 to some premium ammo and you may be pleasantly surprised!
 
#70 ·
Beancounter said:
I never liked to shoot a rifle up in the air so shotgun is the way to go in my book. 1 oz of # 6 thru about any choke or gage works fine for me.
Yup... there are plenty of places where it's not safe to shoot a .22LR in the air. Probably most places. But I still prefer the .22LR.

If you're patient, most squirrels will eventually give you a chance at a safe-backstopped shot. You should be familiar with the surrounding area, place yourself for shooting in the safest direction, and always be sure to make sure there's good wood behind your target.

My favorite way to hunt squirrels is with a T/C Contender with a 10" .22LR match chamber barrel and a scope. CCI Standard Velocity is very accurate in that rig (and my other .22LRs) and has reduced range as well. I sit down with a nice seat cushion in a patch of oaks, with camo on (usually with a headnet, too), wait for them to get back to work, and start picking them off. My other choice would be my scoped CZ 455 Full Stock rifle.

Mini big game hunting that way... :)
 
#72 ·
I just got a new squirrel gun. I got a Tristar G2 viper 28ga. I have always wanted a 28ga. I been buying Winchester 3/4 oz 6 shot and federal 1 oz 6 shot to try. 2 days after getting the 28ga. I bought a new mossberg SA 410ga TSS turkey gun. Only came with 1 choke. So now looking at the mossberg SA 410ga field model comes with 5 chokes. I sure like the sub gauges for squirrel hunting.
 
#73 ·
When I was a kid, my father taught me to never shoot at a squirrel in a tree with a 22 LR. He told me of the dangers of 22 bullets flying long distances when shooting up in the air. I could only shoot at squirrels on the ground with my 22 rifle. For that reason, my gun of choice when squirrel hunting in the woods with tall timber was a 16 gauge shotgun with #5 or #4 shot.

Lately, the few times I have hunted squirrels, I used the 16 gauge, or a 20 gauge with #5 shot, since it's really hard to find #4 any more.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top